Method and system for managing a user's sleep

Abstract

A sleep management method and system for improving the quality of sleep of a user which monitors one or more objective parameters relevant to sleep quality of the user when in bed and receives from the user in waking hours via a portable device such as a mobile phone feedback from objective test data on cognitive and/or psychomotor performance.

1 . A method of managing the sleep of a user, the method comprising:
 (i) monitoring, using at least one sensor, one or more objective parameters relevant to sleep quality of the user when in bed, said parameters being selected from physiological parameters and environmental parameters and including at least movement of the user and/or electrical signals indicative of brain activity of the user;   (ii) collecting, using a sensor unit, signal data from said at least one sensor and communicating the signal data to a processing means;   (iii) collecting, using a portable user interaction device, objective test data from the user when awake, the objective test data being indicative of cognitive and/or psychomotor performance and communicating the objective test data to said processing means; and   (iv) processing data from said sensor unit and said user interaction device to generate at least a combined sleep indicator metric, which takes both sensor unit data and cognitive and/or psychomotor data into consideration, or a cognitive and/or psychomotor performance metric together with a sleep metric or a sleep quality metric; and   (v) receiving at the portable user interaction device information relating to the user's sleep behaviour for display to the user.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one sensor do not include any sensor attached to the user. 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
 a) supplementing said objective test data with subjective feedback from the user on sleep-related parameters inputted via said user interaction device;   b) repeating steps (i) to (iv) at a subsequent time thereby to generate a combined sleep indicator metric for the subsequent time, or a cognitive and/or psychomotor performance metric together with a sleep metric or sleep quality metric for the subsequent time;   c) sampling, within the sensor unit, signal data from each sensor at a frequency in the range of 0.1 Hz to 100 Hz before storage to a memory.   
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising displaying information to the user by the user interaction device, the information including one or more recommendations for affecting the behaviour of the user in order to improve subsequent sleep quality. 
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said one or more recommendations are selected from a group of recommendations including behavioural programs and/or actions by the user. 
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising prompting the user, via said portable user interaction device, to implement a behavioural change. 
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said processing means monitors efficacy of and/or compliance with any behavioural program or action presented to and chosen by the user and provides (i) one or more of warning, guidance, advice and message(s) of encouragement to the user to aid efficacy of and/or compliance with any selected program or action and/or (ii) one or more updated recommendations for behavioural changes and/or actions. 
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein cognitive and/or psychomotor performance is measured through presentation to the user via said portable user interaction device of one or more tests selected from mathematical processing, logical reasoning, spatial processing, reaction time, tracking, attention/vigilance, self-generation cognitive function tests and memory tests. 
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said processing means receives data indicative of cognitive and/or psychomotor performance derived from passive monitoring of an activity of the user when awake, said data being obtained from said portable user interaction device or an additional source. 
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said processing means receives data on speed and/or accuracy of typing at a keyboard or keypad provided by said portable user interaction device or separately therefrom. 
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said sensor unit contains a memory and a real time clock whereby each sensor reading or multiple of sensor readings from each sensor for storage in the memory is stored with a time code and sensor data stored in said memory is sent periodically, or on request, to said processing means. 
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising monitoring, using a plurality of sensors, both physiological and environmental parameters non-obtrusively such that they do not affect the sleep of the user. 
     
     
         13 . A method as claimed in  claim 12  wherein the physiological and environmental parameters monitored by said sensors include movement and one or more of temperature, ambient noise, light and humidity. 
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the at least one sensor comprises a movement sensor which comprises a piezoelectric sheet, cable or film disposed below the user in bed and connected to the sensor unit via a cable or wireless connection. 
     
     
         15 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  for use by the user and a second user who share a bed, wherein a second portable user interaction device identical to the portable user interaction device is provided for the second user, the second portable user interaction device communicating data to said processing means and receiving information from the processing means. 
     
     
         16 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the or each portable user interaction device is a mobile phone. 
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising the or each portable user interaction device prompting the user to input information. 
     
     
         18 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said processing means is separate from said sensor unit and said portable user interaction device. 
     
     
         19 . A method as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said processing means takes the form of a software service connected to a wide-area network. 
     
     
         20 . A sleep management system comprising:
 (i) at least one sensor for monitoring one or more objective parameters relevant to sleep quality of the user when in bed, said parameters being selected from physiological parameters and environmental parameters and including at least movement of the user and/or electrical signals indicative of brain activity of the user;   (ii) a sensor unit which collects signal data from said at least one sensor and communicates data to a processing means;   (iii) a portable user interaction device, which can collect objective test data from the user when awake indicative of cognitive and/or psychomotor performance and which additionally communicates data to said processing means and receives information from the processing means which is displayed to the user, and   (iv) said processing means, which processes data from said sensor unit and said portable user interaction device whereby at least a combined sleep indicator metric, which takes both sensor unit data and cognitive and/or psychomotor data into consideration, or a cognitive and/or psychomotor performance metric together with a sleep metric or a sleep quality metric can be displayed to the user via the portable user interaction device.   
     
     
         21 . A method of managing sleep of an individual which comprises said individual using a sleep management system as defined in  claim 20 . 
     
     
         22 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said processing means can take account of circadian rhythm in analysing objective test data from said portable user interaction device by (a) and/or one of (b) and (c) as follows:
 (a) said processing means having available one or more pre-defined functions for cognitive and/or psychomotor performance from pre-collected data on variance of test performance of individuals with time of day; 
 (b) the user initially after practising one or more cognitive and/or psychomotor tests on said portable user interaction device, carrying out the same test(s) at a range of times and over a time period whereby said processing means can establish a baseline for cognitive and/or psychomotor performance over the user's wake hours, or 
 (c) the user initially carrying out one or more cognitive and/or psychomotor tests on said portable user interaction device at a range of times and over a period whereby said processing means can establish a baseline for cognitive and/or psychomotor performance during the time the user is awake relying on a pre-defined function to correct for effects due to the user practicing. 
 
     
     
         23 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, prior to use in improving sleep quality, said processing means is provided with information to take account of circadian rhythm in analysing objective test data from said portable user interaction device by (a) and/or one of (b) and (c) as follows:
 (a) providing said processing means with one or more pre-defined functions for cognitive and/or psychomotor performance from pre-collected data on variance of test performance of individuals with time of day;   (b) after practising one or more cognitive and/or psychomotor tests on said portable user interaction device, the user carrying out the same test(s) at a range of times and over a time period whereby said processing means can establish a baseline for cognitive and/or psychomotor performance over the user's wake hours, or   (c) the user carrying out one or more cognitive and/or psychomotor tests on said portable user interaction device at a range of times and over a period whereby said processing means can establish a baseline for cognitive and/or psychomotor performance during the time the user is awake relying on a pre-defined function to correct for effects due to the user practicing.   
     
     
         24 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the portable user interaction device prompts the user to carry out said one or more cognitive and/or psychomotor tests at pre-defined times or random times during the time the user is awake. 
     
     
         25 . A computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method as defined in  claim 1 .